January 2003 – I believe ballet
as a medium and art form is really reaching a peak of maturation and we
are seeing the results of this in an ever-shrinking world. I think this
maturation is a good thing and can have the net effect of gaining good
results for the art.

Sharing, as the business world
likes to say, "best practices," is one way for current and future
Artistic Directors to grapple with and grow with today's changes. This
is not to suggest that companies would lose their respective identities
and become franchises – a kind of balletic "Subway Sandwich,"
but rather to take today's fabulous resources, such as the Internet, and
use them as tools to share what they have learned that works from experience.

We already see a pattern of
the dance world becoming more mature as it parallels the opera and music
worlds with things like sharing productions and other resources. Yes,
this has been long-happening in some degree and the past few years have
see this kind of expansion really take hold.

There is currently no real
training school or course for Artistic Directors (AD) such as "Becoming
An AD 101" or "ADs for Novices!" But there could be. I
remember being asked several years ago in a live television interview
if there was some place that Artistic Directors could go to learn how
to do their jobs (I was the AD of a ballet company at that time). On the
set with me was the Music Director and Conductor of the symphony (who
also, by the way, conducted our Nutcracker). After we stopped
laughing, the answer was an emphatic, "No!" I recall explaining
that while there was really no course or specific schooling (although
is must be pointed out that conductors can study conducting in
college or at a music conservatory), we did bring all of our experiences
to bear in these positions.

There are workshops and seminars
given of many types for those new to their positions. Some of these include
newly-elected officials such as state representatives and senators, deans
of college departments, and teachers. Why not something like this for
folk who head artistic enterprises? For heads of dance schools, regional
"pre-professional" companies, managers, and so forth. Some of
this could be natural outgrowth of workshops and seminars that are already
being held for teachers worldwide.

There could also be a network
organization of ADs (NOAD) that could meet internationally every-other-year
and nationally in alternate years and regionally every year. Dues could
be structured on a sliding scale, based on the organization's size and
budget. All would be welcome.

A paper and on-line newsletter
would ably keep everyone abreast of the times and could include a readership
beyond that of the membership.

Similarly, meetings could
be organized for peers to chat. During one of Pacific Northwest Ballet's
early Teachers' Seminars many years ago, I arranged for our school registrar
to meet with their counterpart and it was one of the best things we ever
did. Our registrar came back with not only tons of new ways to better
run the school, she also came back more energized and enthusiastic than
ever.

"Knowledge is Power"
and the more we work to educate ourselves and ably assist our co-workers
and colleagues, the stronger each of us becomes, collectively and individually.
Our cultural institutions then become virtual perpetual motion machines,
able to not only withstand change but to embrace it.